


Bound to Bone

by SolarisRasa



Series: Sol's Malec Whumptober 2020 [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Choking, Day 1, Demonic Possession, Drowning, M/M, Possessed!Magnus, Whump, Whumptober 2020, good ending, perceived character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26788984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolarisRasa/pseuds/SolarisRasa
Summary: Day 1: Waking Up RestrainedAlec comes to tied to a chair in his own home.Magnus wakes held in his own body.A Demon is bound by magic and bone.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Sol's Malec Whumptober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953454
Comments: 10
Kudos: 135





	Bound to Bone

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE My mother referred to me as a day late and a dollar short to anyone who would listen and uhhh, she was right. Whumptober day 1.  
> TW: Drowning, Blood, Forced Swallowing

Alec’s head lolled as he tried to force his heavy eyes open. He worked to hold himself still, to see straight but the drug that had been in his drink made it impossible, the weight of his head dragging it from one side to the other. 

“Wh-”

“Ah-ah. You need to focus on breathing, getting your bearings.”

Alec knew that voice, soft and warm the last he’d heard it. Now something was _wrong_ about it and he didn’t know how to explain it, even to himself, which he blamed on the drug.

He took slow breaths, forcing himself to try and think around the haze in his head, letting his body go limp where he could finally feel that he was tied to a chair. The last thing he remembered was a party in Alicante.

Magnus had come home late from a meeting with a client, he was a little strange but Alec had attributed that to the amount of magic he’d used in summoning and then banishing a demon. They’d gone, sending the boys to Catarina’s for the night, and things had been relatively normal. Magnus had brought him a drink, stronger than Alec preferred at Clave events, and had been very insistent that it be finished quickly.

Alec had complied, resolving to watching his husband more closely. The last clear moment he had was Magnus, taking the drink from his hand and making some excuse to whisk him away from the party.

“M’nus?”

“Alexander, please, you’re disoriented and you need to give me just a moment to finish this potion so I can help you.”

The words were unfeeling, Magnus’ voice with none of his inflections. Alec couldn’t bring his husband into focus and for the first time he felt...afraid. Both for Magnus and _of_ him. The feeling coiled in his gut, guilt and fear and self-loathing all roiling together with the drug in his system and he was certain he was going to vomit.

Before he could do more than take a sharp breath, Magnus was yanking his head back and forcing another liquid down his throat.

Alec choked on it immediately, his epiglottis not working fast enough to stop it from nearly sliding down his windpipe. Magnus hand clamped tight over his mouth, pinching his nose and making it impossible for his convulsive coughs to do any good. His lungs burned, his eyes burned, and he felt a deep sadness that Magnus might kill him. His husband could very well drown him right now and Alec ached for him, whatever had happened to him Magnus was still the best and brightest thing in the world and Alec refused to be party to his hurt.

He wrestled his unwilling body under as much control as he could manage, trying desperately to swallow the liquid. Magnus seemed to realize as Alec’s body jerked against his hold involuntarily, what was happening. Magic sunk into his body and the potion cleared from his sinus’, allowing him to swallow properly and gasp in air as Magnus released him.

It kicked in immediately, allowing him to focus enough to _see._

Magnus was standing over him, still dressed for the party but his makeup was ruined. Mascara ran down his cheeks, tears dragging it along despite the hardness in his eyes and the unnatural way his face moved as he smiled at Alec.

“Alexander! Good. Now I need you to tell me where we’ve put my spellbook, I’ve had too much to drink I’m afraid.”

Magnus held perfectly still while he spoke, only his smiling mouth moved and Alec watched as more tears welled up in his brown eyes.

“It’s where it belongs. You should go back where you belong too and let my husband go.”

Magnus blinked and then his face, the one Alec so loved, twisted terribly.

“Listen, Nephil, listen well. You live because I cannot navigate this disgustingly domestic little hovel and the warlock has bound my magic in his bones. Where is the book?”

Alec shook his head, “Magnus, I won’t tell him. I love you and I know, I know you’re fighting. You’re so strong love, you can do it but if you don’t make it through in time-”

The monster wearing his husband’s face hit him, letting Magnus’ fingernails drag and draw blood across Alec’s cheek. He didn’t make a sound, just steadied himself as best as he was able and looked back.

“If you don’t beat it fast enough to help me, it’s okay. I love you, it’s not your fault, okay? The boys need you. I need you too, but Magnus if it hurts me or-” Alec swallowed as the demon snarled at him, “There’s nothing to forgive you for. I love you. Come back, c-”

The demon closed a well-loved hand around his throat, forcing his head back at a sharp angle, the metal of Magnus’ rings likely bruising his jaw.

“Your _husband_ is going to burn away before he ever gets free. Even now, my magic is seeking him out and destroying him in his own body. You can help him, Nephil. Unbind me, let me wear him without limits and I’ll leave him intact when I’m done.”

“Magnus, please I-” Alec’s words choked off as the demon closed his airway.

“You are talking to _me._ Tell me where the spellbook is and I won’t make it my first act to decorate the halls of your home with the innards of your children.”

Alec could taste the blood bubbling up. A demon trapped in Magnus’ body wouldn’t know his strength and as the hand around his throat flexed Alec could feel the burning, snapping feeling of his throat collapsing.

He was released but it was too late, blood filled his senses and he couldn’t get air. The demon hit him again, not understanding his silence. Blood burst from his mouth as his head snapped to the side and his body strained against the bindings.

He could feel the edges of everything fading, Magnus’ eyes flickering gold, tears running down his face as he shook, telling him what he needed.

At least, he thought as his eyes rolled back, Magnus would be able to keep the boys safe. At least Alec had been able to say he loved him.

He went limp against his bindings.

-

Magnus watched, trapped inside his own body, as Alec died in their living room, blood running from his lips as his body involuntarily shook. He was drowning on his own fluids and Magnus was almost glad he had passed out before the pain could get worse.

His fight to regain control meant that neither he nor the demon was capable of wielding enough magic to save him.

He watched as Alec’s body went still and the thin tether on his sanity shattered.

The demon inside of him screamed in the fire that followed.

-

Rafael held Max’s hand tightly in his own as Catarina quietly let them into the infirmary. Usually when dad was hurt he stayed at the loft, but they’d been to see Uncle Jace a few times. This was different.

Dad and papa were both there, both much paler than Rafael had ever seen them.

“Why no share?” Max demanded, seeing his father’s in two separate beds.

Catarina smiled sadly at him, “We need to be able to move around both of them too much Max. When they wake up, they can share.”

Max rolled his eyes, like this was a stupid thing, and pulled Rafael closer.

“Dad!” He used his free hand to shove at his father’s arm, straining to reach.

Rafael caught his hand even as he pouted, “No! Rafe, wake Daddy.”

“I don’t think we can. Dad and Papa are too asleep, Max.”

Catarina scooped Max up and for a moment Rafael was wildly jealous, he wanted someone to swing him up like that and hold onto him. Max might not really understand, but Rafael knew what the tubing in his dad meant, he was hurt really bad. Papa wasn’t much better, if he was still not awake since he had magic.

“Will they ever wake up?”

Catarina’s expression went all funny, like grown ups did when he said something sad. Dad was the only one who didn’t make that face, his was different, it didn’t make Rafael feel like something was wrong with him. Papa never made the face either, but Rafael thought that was because he was _really_ good at pretending.

“Yes. They will both be alright Rafe, home with you and Max before you know it even. They just need a little longer.”

Rafael nodded, listening as Max offered Catarina his thoughts on how to wake up his parents. A long time passed, or it felt like it did, when his Papa made a noise and Catarina quickly handed Max back to him.

“Magnus?” Her hands were glowing with magic when she went to him. He didn’t know what she was doing, but after a while he head his Papa’s voice.

“Alexander-Cat I-he was _drowning.”_

Rafael felt sick.

“He’s okay Magnus. You unleashed so much I felt it. I got there in time to save him. He’s going to need some time but he’s okay. The boys are here, they’re alright.”

“What else?”

Papa sounded strange, like he did when he cried, though Rafael wasn’t supposed to know that he’d heard it once before.

“The loft is going to need work. You destroyed the demon, you had bound it to your bones to keep it contained and it put you under long enough to pretend it was you I think, but you tore it’s essence out of you, cast it naked into the world and shredded it to burning pieces. Your family is _safe._ ”

Max chose that moment to pipe up, clearly frustrated he was not able to see his Papa, “Papa! Wake!”

Rafael watched his Papa slowly sit up, he was definitely crying. He looked at Dad for a long time as Max whined. It was only when Max started to actually cry and Catarina carefully picked him up again that he looked at them. Rafael wanted that to upset him but it didn’t, he knew how much his Dad meant to his Papa and he...well he liked how much they loved each other.

“Oh, Blueberry.” Papa took Max and held him close until his cries calmed. He didn’t reach for Rafael but he looked at him with a little smile and Rafael knew, his Papa understood that Rafael needed his Dad to wake up before he could let his Papa hold him too.

“He’s going to be okay.” Catarina said.

Rafael nodded, and settled in to wait.


End file.
